DETROIT — Corey Crawford watched a fluttering puck get past his glove — a soft goal if there ever were one — and the Blackhawks looked as if they were in trouble against the Red Wings.

“I pretty much told myself it can’t get any worse,” Crawford said.

It did — for Detroit.

The Blackhawks picked up their crestfallen goalie by scoring three times in the first half of the third period to beat the Red Wings 4-3 last night and force a Game 7 in the second-round playoff series between longtime rivals.

The Blackhawks got it when Bryan Bickell netted the go-ahead score early in the third, helping the NHL’s top-seeded team earn a shot to advance to the Western Conference finals after Detroit once led 3-1 in the series. The Red Wings also began the third period of Game 6 with a one-goal lead.

They just couldn’t hold on.

Michal Handzus tied it in the opening minute of the final period. Bickell scored about five minutes later, and Michael Frolik’s backhander on a penalty shot at the 9:43 mark put the Blackhawks ahead 4-2 and silenced the once-raucous crowd.

Chicago needed that cushion because Damien Brunner scored with 52 seconds left to pull Detroit within one. The seventh-seeded Red Wings pulled goaltender Jimmy Howard, but were unable to score with the extra skater.

Now the series between Original Six teams shifts to Chicago for Game 7 tomorrow night.

“If I would’ve told Detroit and Michigan we would play in Chicago in Game 7, I think everybody would be excited about that,” Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “I love Game 7s.

“We’ve got a chance to push them out of the playoffs. It should be a lot of fun.”

Detroit advanced to the second round after winning Game 6 at home and Game 7 on the road against second-seeded Anaheim.